HELP! I really want to start a business but im not ready!TT

Hi, I'm Katie and I want to start a dog walking/pet sitting business but I am
not sure if I will be successful or not. For advertising I would like to post
flyers on signs but I am not sure if that is legal. I am going on vacation
and I would like to do my business there as a part time job. I like to play
with dogs and cats but I don't have any proper training. I'm worried that I
won't have any customers because they will probably not trust me since I'm
just a kid. I have been doing a lot of research and I cannot find any
information I need about legal requirements. My parents think that I should
just focus on school first but I am really determined to earn enough money
for college. I went on YouTube to find out how to start a business and a lot
of youtubers said it was very complicated which made me nervous. I don't
completely understand how my business plan format should look like. Even
though I have been doing a lot of research lots of times I do not understand
what people are trying to say to the readers. PLEASE HELP AND COMMENT!
THX!!!!!!!

JGabriel | Community Moderator |
8/1/2013 - 10:06 am

BizResearcher | Window Shopper |
7/16/2013 - 2:01 pm

Congratulations on your desire to start a business. I would go with
BizPlanMentor's suggestion to treat your business as if you were a
babysitter. You won't be working so much at this point that you need to pay
all the fees involved with starting a business. If you do an internet search,
you will find associations for pet sitters where you can find information.
If, as you get older, this becomes bigger, you will have access to insurance
for association members and other benefits.

I would be careful about placing flyers on telephone poles, signs and such.
Some communities don't allow it at all; others require that you get
permission first. You might look for bulletin boards in grocery stores and
laundromats in your neighborhood. You can create a flyer with pull-off tabs
on the bottom with your phone number.

I agree that starting with your neighbors is a good idea. You don't want to
have customers so far away that it takes everything you earn to pay for gas
to get to and from their homes. Also, don't go into strangers homes without a
parent. You want to appear professional and be safe.

You can create a simple contract into which you write the customer's name,
address, the dates you will be needed, the time of day you are to visit, and
exactly what you are to do (walk the dog, feed the cat, change the litter
box, etc.), Then have the customer sign it, so you are both on the same page
and they won't say you didn't do something you were supposed to. Be sure to
indicate that payment is due either in advance or on the last day of your
service so you aren't trying to find the people later.

Lastly, don't lime yourself to pet sitting. Someone may need you to water
plants, bring in produce from their garden while they are away and other
things. If you indicate you are willing to do errands in general, that will
increase your customer base. When my daughter was in high school, she cleaned
houses and babysat to earn money for college. She had a regular group of
customers and she made good money doing it.

katiechou317 | Window Shopper |
7/17/2013 - 5:45 pm

Show Replied Text…

Congratulations on your desire to start a business. I would go with BizPlanMentor's suggestion to treat your business as if you were a babysitter. You won't be working so much at this point that you need to pay all the fees involved with starting a business. If you do an internet search, you will find associations for pet sitters where you can find information. If, as you get older, this becomes bigger, you will have access to insurance for association members and other benefits.
I would be careful about placing flyers on telephone poles, signs and such. Some communities don't allow it at all; others require that you get permission first. You might look for bulletin boards in grocery stores and laundromats in your neighborhood. You can create a flyer with pull-off tabs on the bottom with your phone number.
I agree that starting with your neighbors is a good idea. You don't want to have customers so far away that it takes everything you earn to pay for gas to get to and from their homes. Also, don't go into strangers homes without a parent. You want to appear professional and be safe.
You can create a simple contract into which you write the customer's name, address, the dates you will be needed, the time of day you are to visit, and exactly what you are to do (walk the dog, feed the cat, change the litter box, etc.), Then have the customer sign it, so you are both on the same page and they won't say you didn't do something you were supposed to. Be sure to indicate that payment is due either in advance or on the last day of your service so you aren't trying to find the people later.
Lastly, don't lime yourself to pet sitting. Someone may need you to water plants, bring in produce from their garden while they are away and other things. If you indicate you are willing to do errands in general, that will increase your customer base. When my daughter was in high school, she cleaned houses and babysat to earn money for college. She had a regular group of customers and she made good money doing it.
Good luck to you. With your drive, you will do well.

THX SO MUCH FOR THE COMMENT. Now that I think of it I have a book that can
help me remember info about my customers. I appreciate you sharing of your
daughter making a business. THX AGAIN!

katiechou317 | Window Shopper |
7/15/2013 - 3:45 am

Show Replied Text…

How old are you? I would offer different advice depending on your age.
But if your parents aren't on board you either need to wait until they are, or flesh out the idea enough that they agree with you and support you.
Can you try this in an informal way? Like ask your neighbors if they need a pet sitter/walker. You don't need to set up a full business. Babysitters get paid but they don't create a business first.
Hope this helps a little.

thx so much for the comment! It was really helpful. I'm 11 and is it legal to
do advertise in an informal way?THX again!

bizplanmentor | Window Shopper |
7/22/2013 - 1:12 pm

Show Replied Text…

thx so much for the comment! It was really helpful. I'm 11 and is it legal to do advertise in an informal way?THX again!

Hi again,

Sure, you can legally advertise informally. You can pass out flyers to
neighbors or ask store owners if you can post in their windows. You cannot
put flyers in mailboxes however (that is against the law).

katiechou317 | Window Shopper |
7/15/2013 - 3:44 am

Show Replied Text…

How old are you? I would offer different advice depending on your age.
But if your parents aren't on board you either need to wait until they are, or flesh out the idea enough that they agree with you and support you.
Can you try this in an informal way? Like ask your neighbors if they need a pet sitter/walker. You don't need to set up a full business. Babysitters get paid but they don't create a business first.
Hope this helps a little.

thx so much for the comment! It was really helpful. I'm 11 and is it legal to
do advertise in an informal way?THX again!